Our teaching materials are individualized for each student. However the following information will give you an idea of the typical methods of instruction.

The “Home Speaker” is someone who has lived in a Vietnamese-speaking household outside of Vietnam and has therefore had only limited opportunities to attend formal instruction. Sometimes these students are referred to as “students of Vietnamese descent”.

Students who have learned Vietnamese at home have a wide range of abilities:

a) Some have strong speaking and writing ability but only limited vocabulary.

b) Some have strong speaking ability but almost no writing ability.

c) Some have weak speaking ability and no writing ability.

d) Some have strong listening ability but are uncomfortable when speaking.

Your teacher will help you to quickly master the skills you need in your areas of weak ability. The first class will be an opportunity to assess your skills and tailor the learning material to your abilities. Your teacher will borrow material from the beginning, intermediate, and advanced instruction to adjust the tutoring to best help you in improving your weak skills. For example, if writing is your weakness, then we will practice pronunciation of the alphabet, so that whenever someone says something to you in Vietnamese, you will be able to write it down exactly. If reading is your weakness, then we will read progressively harder material each week. If you are nearly perfect in the Vietnamese language, then the course can be tailored to address the culture or history of Vietnam. Your teacher can help you by tailoring the course to meet your specific needs.